Twisting mechanism drive for spinning and twisting frames

ABSTRACT

A drive for a twisting mechanism for spinning and twisting frames in which there is provided a constantly rotating shaft, a tension roller mounted on a vertically rotatable lever, and a flexible coupling entrained about the tension roller and the shaft of the twisting mechanism and urged by the tension roller into contact with the constantly rotating shaft to impart rotation to the twisting mechanism shaft. The tension roller can be displaced by the rotatable lever, thereby retracting the flexible coupling from the constantly rotating shaft. Such an arrangement permits individually stopping any twisting spindle without shutting down the whole frame, which adds significantly to the overall operating efficiency of such frames.

[ 51 Dec. 30, 1975 [54] TWISTING MECHANISM DRIVE FOR SPINNING AND TWISTING FRAMES [76] Inventor: Alexandr Alexeevich Sharychenkov, Ternovka, ulitsa Experimentalnaya, 1, kv. 67, Penza, USSR.

[22] Filed: June 4, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 476,229

[52] US. Cl. 74/242.15 R; 57/77.3 [51] Int. Cl. F16H 7/10; AOlD 45/02 [58] Field of Search 57/773; 74/221, 242.15 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,058,289 10/1962 Raschle 57/773 3,800,612 4/1972 Fulghum 74/242.15 R

Primary ExaminerLeonard H. Gerin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A drive for a twisting mechanism for spinning and twisting frames in which there is provided a constantly rotating shaft, a tension roller mounted on a vertically rotatable lever, and a flexible coupling entrained about the tension roller and the shaft of the twisting mechanism and urged by the tension roller into contact with the constantly rotating shaft to impart rotation to the twisting mechanism shaft. The tension roller can be displaced by the rotatable lever, thereby retracting the flexible coupling from the constantly rotating shaft. Such an arrangement permits individually stopping any twisting spindle without shutting down the whole frame, which adds significantly to the overall operating efficiency of such frames,

US. Patent Dec. 30, 1975 3,929,027

TWISTING MECHANISM DRIVE FOR SPINNING AND TWISTING FRAMES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to spinning and twisting frames, and more particularly to twisting mechanism drives for such machines.

PRIOR ART Such drives, actuating just one twisting mechanism from a common constantly rotating drive shaft, comprise a tension roller a flexible coupling entrained about the tension roller, and the shaft of the twisting mechanism and urged by the tension roller into contact with the constantly rotating drive shaft to impart rotation to the twisting mechanism shaft.

The tension roller is pivotally mounted on a lever which is arranged in mutually rotatable supports, the axes of rotation of the supports being placed at different angles with respect to the axis of the tension roller and the common drive shaft. Such an arrangement of the tension roller provides for the tautness of the flexible coupling. However, with the tension roller mounted on rotatable supports, the latter must be precision aligned with respect to the drive shaft, so the design of this known drive is undesirably sophisticated and maintenance is complicated.

The design of this known drive and the maintenance procedures are rendered still more complex by the need to employ additional levers to retract the flexible coupling from the drive shaft in order to stop the twisting mechanism.

OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates providing a twisting mechanism drive for spinning and twisting frames which, owing to an advantageous location of the tension roller, is simple in design and easy to operate.

The object of the invention is achieved by providing a drive for a twisting mechanism used in a spinning machine, comprising a first drive shaft, a second shaft actuating the twisting mechanism, a rocking lever, a slide block mounted on the rocking lever, a tension roller carried by the slide block, an endless flexible coupling entrained trained about the tension roller and the second drive shaft actuating the twisting mechanism, a tension member urging the slide block out of contact with the second shaft for placing the flexible coupling under tension, said lever and tension roller being arranged relative to the first drive shaft so that the rocking motion of the lever urges the tension roller to engage the twisting mechanism by moving the flexible coupling to contact with the first drive shaft and to disengage the twisting mechanism by moving the flexible coupling out of contact with the drive shaft.

With the tension roller so arranged, the flexible coupling is retracted by the rotation of the lever from the first drive shaft to individually stop any twisting mechanism of the frame, with the tension of the flexible coupling varying insignificantly, which rules out any chance of the flexible coupling sliding off the twisting mechanism shaft or the tension roller.

In addition, the spring-loaded slide block permits automatically displacing the tension roller when the tension of the flexible coupling drops.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a line diagram of a twisting mechanism drive in side elevation; and

FIG. 2 is a line diagrarn of the drive shown in FIG. 1

in a partiallycut plan view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Spinning and twisting' frames incorporate a plurality of spinning devices built around 'a twisting mechanism 1 (FIG. 1) which forms the yarn. m

Each twisting mechanism 1 is rotated'from a common constantly rotating shaft 2 via a flexible coupling 3, eg an endless band which is entrained about a shaft 4 of the twisting mechanism 1 and a tension roller 5.

The tension roller 5 is located adjacent to the shaft 2, with an axle 6 (FIG. 2) of the tension roller 5 being parallel to the shaft 2, and the tension roller 5 is so disposed that its axle 6 (FIG. 1) lies above the geometrical o-o axis of the shaft 2, which arrangement enables one of the branches of the flexible coupling 3 to maintain permanent contact with the shaft 2. The angle of contact of the flexible coupling 3 and the shaft 2 depends on the spatial arrangement of the axes thereof.

The tension roller 5 is mounted on a lever 7, one arm 7a of which has a recess 8 (FIG. 2) formed therein, while the other arm 7b is free. The lever 7 is pivotally mounted on a frame 9 by means of an axle 10, so that the lever 7 is vertically rotatable.

A rod 11 passes through the recess 8 of the lever 7, with said rod 11 being secured in the lever and serving as a guide for a slide block 12 accomodated in the recess 8 and a spring 13 which urges the end of arm 73 of the slide block 12 toward the lever 7. One end of the spring 13 rests against the slide block 12, while the other ends rests against the lever 7. The axle 6 is secured in the slide block 12, with the tension roller 5 being mounted on the axle 6 by means of bearings 14.

As the lever 7 rotates, the tension roller 5 is displaced to provide a sufficient angle of contact of the flexible coupling 3 and the shaft 2 so as to transmit rotation to the twisting mechanism 1, or to retract the flexible coupling 3 from the shaft 2 if the twisting mechanism 1 is to be stopped. The lever 7 may be rotated by any known means (not shown), e.g. an electromagnetc, of which the armature must be coupled with the lever 7, a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder unit, or mechanical devices operated by hand or foot. In other words, any means exerting an effort upon the arm of the lever to rotate same and immobilize same as rotated may be used.

In the example under discussion, in order to impart a rotating motion to the twisting mechanism 1, an effort is applied to the free arm 7bof the lever 7 in the direction indicated by the arrow A, so that the tension roller 5 is disposed in a position in which one branch of the flexible coupling 3 is in contact with the constantly rotating shaft 2. As a result; rotation is transmitted from the shaft 2 via the flexible coupling 3 to the shaft 4 of the twisting mechanism 1.

1 Since the slide block 12 constantlyexperiences the effort exerted by the spring 13, the flexible coupling 3 is kept taut, permittingrotation to be transmitted thereby.

When, instead of the effort exerted in the direction indicated by the arrow A, an-oppositely directed effort is exerted as indicated by the arrow B, the lever 7 is caused to rotate, with the flexible coupling 3 being retracted from the drive shaft 2 together with the tension roller 5. The displacement completed, the flexible coupling 3 assumes a position shown in FIG. 1 by the dot-and-dash line. Since the flexible coupling 3 is now out of contact with the shaft 2, no rotation is transmitted to the twisting mechanism, but the flexible coupling 3 is kept taut by the action'of'the spring 13 on the slide block 12. With the flexible coupling 3 being taut, the band is prevented from sliding off the shaft 4 of the twisting mechanism 1 or the tension roller 5.

What is claimed is:

l. A drive for a twisting mechanism used in a spinning machine comprising a first drive shaft, a second shaft actuating the twisting mechanism, a rocking lever, a slide block mounted on the rocking lever, a tension roller carried by the slide block, an endless flexible coupling trained about the tension roller and the second shaft actuating the twisting mechanism, a tension member urging the slide block out of contact with the second shaft for placing the flexible coupling under tensions, and said rocking lever and tension roller being arranged relative to the first drive shaft so that the rocking motion of the lever urges the tension roller to engage the twisting mechanism by moving the flexible coupling to contactthe first drive shaft and to disengage the twisting mechanism by moving the flexible coupling out of contactwith the drive shaft.

2. The drive as claimed in claim 1 in which said flexible coupling is an endless band. 

1. A drive for a twisting mechanism used in a spinning machine comprising a first drive shaft, a second shaft actuating the twisting mechanism, a rocking lever, a slide block mounted on the rocking lever, a tension roller carried by the slide block, an endless flexible coupling trained about the tension roller and the second shaft actuating the twisting mechanism, a tension member urging the slide block out of contact with the second shaft for placing the flexible coupling under tensions, and said rocking lever and tension roller being arranged relative to the first drive shaft so that the rocking motion of the lever urges the tension roller to engage the twisting mechanism by moving the flexible coupling to contact the first drive shaft and to disengage the twisting mechanism by moving the flexible coupling out of contact with the drive shaft.
 2. The drive as claimed in claim 1 in which said flexible coupling is an endless band. 